![Lamb Tagine with Orange and Prunes [AIP]](https://i2.wp.com/healingfamilyeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Lamb-Tagine-with-Orange-and-Prunes-AIP1.jpg?resize=682%2C1024)
I don't really go for meat and fruit together as a rule, but every so often I have a craving for rich, unctuous tagine, just as I did in the 'olden' days. You know where I'm coming from don't you?
The heart and soul of Moroccan cuisine, a tagine is a one-pot feast typically made of meat, fish or vegetables with fruits and spices. Quicker to put together than a stew because there is no browning of the meat beforehand, merely tossing the pieces of lamb into the spice mixture ensures you are adding flavour enough. If you don't like prunes, then substitute unsulphured dried apricots (ahem, of course I would never do that ... much as I'd like to) or even leave them out altogether if you're anti-fruits. It'll still be delicious, just ... just different.
And before you ask, yes this can be made in advance - in fact the flavours will be even more developed after a spell in a covered glass container in the fridge, or freezer if you're batch cooking. Ooh and talking of batch cooking, did you know Mickey Trescott (of Autoimmune-Paleo.com and my favourite AIP cookbook) has released AIP Batch Cook, video demonstration tutorials with printable recipes, meal plans and more, all aimed at helping you spend less time in the kitchen. There is a $20 discount running until this Friday, 8th May. Sounds pretty awesome, no?
lamb tagine with orange and prunes
If you don't have prunes, use dried apricots instead. See above.
(serves 4)
Print the recipe here
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp turmeric
1 kg (2+1/4 lb) lamb shoulder, cut into 1+1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp lard, or other solid fat
2 medium onions, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups bone broth
1 orange, peeled (with a vegetable peeler) and juiced
1/2 cup (12) prunes
1 tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 300F.
Put the spices into a large bowl and add the meat. Get your hands stuck in and toss the pieces of meat to thoroughly coat with the spices and then set aside. Heat the fat in a large casserole/dutch oven and add the onions. Cook them on a low heat, stirring often, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for a minute or two before turning the heat up to a medium/high to get some colour in the onions. Not much though, and keep an eye on the garlic because it tends to burn easily. Add the meat and stir it around for 2 or 3 minutes, allowing it to get a little colour. Next pour in the broth, bring up to a simmer, cover with a lid and place the casserole into the oven. Cook for 1+1/2 hours, then remove from the oven and add the orange juice and peel, together with the prunes. If the tagine is drying out, add a little more broth at this point. Put the casserole back into the oven for another hour, until the meat is beautifully tender and the sauce thickened and glossy.
cilantro "butter couscous"
Of course this isn't couscous at all, but cauliflower makes a mighty fine substitute and besides it's far healthier. But I guess you already knew that!
(serves 4)
1 large cauliflower
2 tbsp lard, or other solid fat
2 tbsp shortening, or other solid fat
1 - 1+1/2 tsp salt
1/2 bunch cilantro (coriander leaf), finely chopped
Cut the cauliflower into florets and put them into your processor with the ‘S’ blade, not forgetting the stalks. Pulse about 8-10 times until the cauli is the same consistency as large grains of rice (you may need to do this in two batches). Pulsing puts you in control, if you simply press the 'on' button you risk ending up with purée! Heat the fats in a large sauté pan, add the riced cauli and stir to mix well. Allow to cook for about 5 mins until the cauli is 'al dente'. You can either do this on the stove top or in the oven. Stir in the salt and add the cilantro just before serving.
Want to cook this recipe on an Instant Pot? This recipe has been adapted and printed in The Paleo AIP Instant Pot Cookbook.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. Lamb is my FAVORITE animal meat and always has been, so naturally I have some shoulder in the freezer right now. This is how I'll use it! I love the idea of the dried apricots with it. I do eat tolerate and eat white rice so I'm going to sub that for the cauliflower.
Happy Mothers Day and thank you for your generosity!
Happy Mother's Day to you too, Susan. And thank you for your wishes 🙂
I hope you love your tagine - it sounds so wonderful with apricots and rice!
Happy Mother's Day Kate! This looks delicious and who doesn't love prunes?! Prunes always remind me of my Grandmother, whenever we visited she always, always had a bowl of them sitting on her kitchen counter ready to 'go' as it were! I've also just found a great local butcher who has all kinds of grass fed pastured meat so can't wait to try this. BTW the roast chicken from last week turned out perfectly, thanks for that recipe.
And a Happy Mother's Day to you too, Samantha. Thank you 🙂
I'm so pleased you loved the roast chicken and I hope you enjoy this one too .. although I don't hope I remind you of your grand mother now, hehe!! 😉
This looks spectacular! Combines my favourite spices and one of my favourit meats. Can't wait to try it!
Ooh lovely, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
This was delicious Kate. Made it for dinner tonight except subbed lamb for goat and apricots for prunes because that was what I had in the pantry. (And why would you put a link in for those cookies? Why?!) Mr18 did comment that it wasn't the usual goat recipe that I make which is what he was expecting when I said we were having goat, but after a bit of a grumble still ate every last morsel. Will be making this again for sure. And I loved the "butter" couscous, cauli rice can get a little boring. Kudos to you, yet again. Oh and the kitchen smelled divine after the orange peel and juice went in 🙂
Hi Amanda. So glad it went down well and even got an eventual seal of approval with Mr18. Love the "not what he was expecting", hehe! Sorry about the extra link, just thought if you had the dried fruit packet already open ....
Oh, and I'm also really pleased my recipe doubles up as an air freshener - especially thrilled about that 😉
hello! so excited to make this tomorrow night... How big is your large dutch oven? do u think a Le Creuset Shallow Oven, 2 3/4-Qt. will be large enough? If not could I make it in a pressure cooker? Appreciate any input here! Thanks a million for your beautiful blog!
Hi Meagan, my dutch oven is a Le Creuset 5+1/2-QT (http://healingfamilyeats.com/Le-Creuset-Signature-Enameled-Cast-Iron) so I think yours will be a little on the small side I'm afraid. As for pressure cooking, I'm sure it will be just fine but I can't help with converting I'm afraid. I have one of those amazing Instant Pots but haven't yet used the pressure cooker for anything other than bone broth, I love long, slow cooking. Sorry - but if you make it that way I would love to get some feedback from you.
Thanks for popping in and for leaving your lovely comment. I hope you enjoy the tagine.
It actually fit just fine in my shallow one! (and turned out amazing!)
One question I have about the recipe:
After you take it out to add the OJ, peel & prunes... Do you cover with the lid again and put it back in for an hour OR put it back in for a hour uncovered?
Also, how would you recommend heading up leftovers?
No microwave in this house 😉
Thanks again!
Hey that's great news that it fit. To answer your questions the lid goes on both times in the oven and as for leftovers, I don't have a microwave either so I reheat in a pan on the stove top. Just handle it carefully or be prepared for the meat to fall apart. Leftovers are great, the flavour will be even more pronounced.
So pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
I finally made this tonight, using whole dried cherries. I adore lamb to begin with, but this recipe is a wonderful combination of flavors, and truly comforting on a cold night. We savored every last drop!
Kudos Kate!
Such a great comment, thanks so much Susan. Using dried cherries sounds amazing, and I'm so pleased it gave you comfort 🙂
This tagine recipe looks so delicious! I am wondering, though, whether it would be possible to cook on the stovetop? I don't have a pot that can go in the oven yet. (I'm also going to attempt this with goat instead of lamb, but I'm sure it's delicious either way!
Yes, you can cook it on the stove. Keep the burner to the very lowest and check it several times during cooking because it will cook quicker and the liquid may have a tendency to evaporate, in which case just top it up. Lucky you getting your hands on some goat, I haven't been able to source that yet. Enjoy!
Awesome. Thanks so much!
Hi there! I adapted your recipe a little including making it in the slow cooker. It's published here. Thank you so much for the idea -- this was incredibly delicious.
Glad you loved it Aysin 🙂
This was truly fantastic. One of the best lamb recipes I've ever tired. We ate it over mashed yams --which I know aren't for all--and it was wonderful!
That's so great to hear, thanks Rachael and I'm glad you enjoyed your wonderful meal 🙂
Absolutely delicious! thanks for a great recipe. This was my first time cooking lamb and I'm sure I will repeat very soon. Very good balance of spices, love the sweetness from prunes and orange. And the meat is sooo tender.
I cooked it in a stove top pressure cooker - 45 minutes before adding orange juice, peel and prunes and then about 30 minutes more.
The only note - next time I will use about 1 1/2 cup broth. When the cooking was finished the sauce wasn't thick enough. So I just removed the lid and let everything to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
So pleased you enjoyed the recipe - and thanks so much for the feedback 🙂
Looking forward to trying this recipe! Love moroccan food! Would preserved lemons work in this recipe instead of orange?
Oh yes, delicious!!
Aloha, I'm going to make this today and wondering about the link (something about cookies) mentioned in the post from Amanda. Is there a recipe for prune cookies? Thank you!
Do you mean these Sherrie?
I really want to try this recipe but don’t have a casserole dish. Can I use my roasting pan and cover with foil?
I'm not a huge fan of using foil, since it can leach aluminium back into your food. Do you have a large ovenproof pan? If so I would use that and if it's not ovenproof, you could simmer the tagine on the stove top.
I'm going to try and make this low FODMAP by using leek greens and a bit of garlic oil, but the only oranges I have right now are blood oranges. Do you think they'd work as well as navel or other oranges? This looks delicious!
Yum, I haven't had this in ages and I want it now!
Blood oranges will be gorgeous!
Oh! Also....I'm hoping to make this in the Instant Pot, so will throw it in for 40 minutes and see how it goes!
Do let me know how it does, I'm sure others will find it useful.